Tommy Baker thought his chance at a college degree had slipped away for good.
He had tried in his 20s. He ran out of financial aid. Life moved on. By his late 40s, he had accepted that college just wasn't going to happen.
Then, one Thursday morning last summer, everything changed.
At 49, Baker was working toward his Commercial Driver's License through the 160 Driving Academy, which operates on various community college campuses across the country, including Onondaga Community College. As he watched the morning news before heading to class, he saw a story that gave him hope.
"It was Governor Hochul, talking about SUNY Reconnect. I thought since I was already going to be on the OCC campus later that morning, I might as well just walk across the street to the Gordon Student Center and see if I could get in school. Sure enough, the next Monday I was in school. And that's how I'm here!"
SUNY Reconnect is a free community college program for students between the ages of 25 and 55 who have not yet earned a college degree. It covers the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies after all other financial aid is applied. The program was part of New York State Governor Kathy Hochul's budget last year, and students could begin enrolling in the program for the fall 2025 semester.
His return to college marks the latest chapter in a life shaped by resilience. A Syracuse native, Baker grew up in an unstable home environment. He was placed in foster care and group homes in multiple states before emancipating himself at age 18. He never graduated from high school, and earned his GED before trying college the first time. He came to OCC more than two decades ago, and also attended two four-year schools without completing a degree.
When he arrived at OCC last semester, he enrolled in the Childhood Education program with the dream of becoming the kind of teacher he once needed. Still, doubt crept in. "At first, I was very nervous. I thought I was going to need a tutor for a couple of classes, especially for math. I didn't know if I could do it because at first I wasn't catching on. As the semester progressed, I felt more comfortable and didn't need a tutor."
His first semester went so well that he received a letter in the mail from OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton informing him he had earned a spot on the President's List for achieving a grade point average between 3.7 and 4.0. "I was so excited! That letter is still sitting on my table. It's one of my highlights!"
Baker will complete his degree this May. He looks forward to putting on a cap and gown and walking across a graduation stage for the first time in his life.
He plans to keep working toward his bachelor's degree, and would love to teach one day in the Syracuse City School District's McCarthy at Beard School, which provides comprehensive services to address the severe emotional, behavioral, social, mental health, and academic needs of children and adolescents between K-12th grades. "I was considered to be an at-risk kid growing up and troublesome because of my environmental situation. I feel I would do a great job with students going through similar things to what I went through as a kid. I can relate to them and have an impact on them."
As Baker works toward his first college degree, he is also committed to sharing his SUNY Reconnect story while working as an Uber driver. "Every time somebody gets into my car and starts saying they're thinking about going back to college, I tell them about what I'm doing, Governor Hochul, the SUNY Reconnect program, and how easy it is."
